Jourdan Lewis says he's open to playing receiver
Chicago — Michigan defensive back Jourdan Lewis wants the college football world, or at the very least, coach Jim Harbaugh, to know one thing.
“I’m going to put this out there right now — I want to play offense,” Lewis said Monday during Big Ten media days. “Receiver.”
Lewis said he hasn’t mentioned this yet to Harbaugh.
“But me and (quarterback) John (O’Korn) have been working on stuff,” Lewis said. “I’ve been out there in 7-on-7 playing both sides of the ball. I love having the ball in my hands. I love being out there trying to make plays.
“I’m a little Antonio Brown. I can run some routes. I think I’m a pretty good route runner.”
Lewis, an All-American cornerback, who also plans to return kicks again this fall, said it is easier for a defensive player to transition to offense, and said “all” of the defensive players have been dabbling in offense during 7-on-7 drills this summer.
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“Everybody is trying to get chances on offense, and that’s what coach Harbaugh loves,” he said. “He loves two-way guys. He tried to do that our first spring. He tried to put me at running back. I’m like, OK, all right. Chase Winovich, he was playing him at running back, he was playing him at tight end. He was putting guys that you never knew had offensive abilities on offense. It’s just a great thing when you have a coach that’s promoting a two-way guy.”
While all the talk has been about junior Jabrill Peppers playing three ways, as he did the second half of last season and the promise of more offense for him this fall, receiver Amara Darboh said Lewis is more than capable.
“I would not be surprised to see if even if one game he wants to play receiver or practice, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it,” Darboh said.
Lewis didn’t want to reveal what other defensive players might be able to run a few offensive plays, but he did say defensive back Channing Stribling has the ability.
“He’s very athletic,” Lewis said. “You talk about Jabrill’s athleticism, you should see that man play basketball. He’s a quick twitch guy for a tall guy. He’s very fluid as an athlete.”
angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @chengelis